The Foreign Service Journal, May 2016

the Foreign Service journal | may 2016 53 cial pilot certificate (meaning I could, in theory, get paid to fly), as well as complex and technically advanced aircraft endorse- ments. Recently I qualified in tailwheel airplanes and, with a friend, bought a Super Decathlon aerobatic airplane. We lease it out to people who want to fly loops and rolls, or just fly low and slow with the doors off in summer. Why fly in retire- ment? Of course, it enables fun travel. I can lecture and attend conferences. I love the ever-changing view of America from four or eight thousand feet. And aerobatics are more fun than a roller coaster! But best is the community of flying enthusiasts. These people don’t know what an FSO is, and their backgrounds are vastly different from ours. But they all enjoy the challenges of being pilot-in-command (PIC), planning adventures and introducing newcomers to the joy of flight. As we like to say, “If you build 5,000 feet of highway, you can go about a mile. If you build 5,000 feet of runway, you can go anywhere.” Brian E. Carlson served more than 36 years in the Foreign Service, including as ambassador to the Republic of Latvia (2001-2005). Other postings took him to Spain, England, Norway, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Venezuela. From 2006 to 2010, he was the State Department’s liaison with the Department of Defense on strategic communication and public diplomacy, and he led OIG inspection teams in the Middle East and Washington. Currently he represents the nonprofit InterMe- dia Research on defense, diplomacy and strategic communication. His Cirrus SR22 and Super Decathlon are based at Leesburg Executive Airport. Gary Gray, at left, during a visit to Marobo village in East Timor with a representative of New Zealand. COURTESYOFGARYGRAY The East Timor Guy: Area Expertise Paves the Way By W. Gary Gray I retired from the Foreign Service in 2002 at age 51, long before I needed to, having another 10 years or so before any time- in-class (TIC) issues would arise. At the time, I was bored in my pleasant but relatively routine job in Kuala Lumpur, having been spoiled by a series of remarkably fortuitous right-place-at-the- right-time assignments where dramatic political transitions were taking place (Pretoria, Moscow, Maputo, Jakarta, Dili). As the first chief of the U.S. office in East Timor (2000-2001), I had perhaps peaked too soon as a de facto chief of mission and